D2C Brands Should Use Influencers Only After Finding PMF: Emami’s Dhruv Aggarwal

D2C brands should only utilize influencers once they have established product-market fit, according to Emami's chief growth officer Dhruv Aggarwal. Influencer marketing cannot make up for a weak product, he cautioned during a panel discussion at Inc42's 'The D2C & Retail Summit 2026'. Aggarwal discussed Emami's scaling of influencer-led content for its personal care brand, Brillare, from 15 videos a month to 2,000 videos a month using influencers.

However, brands must monitor customer acquisition costs and pause campaigns if they are only buying sales instead of creating sustainable demand. Influencer selection should be based on relevance to different consumer groups, and brands should aim to feature their product within 24 hours of a relevant event or trend.